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MariaW

MariaW

Joined June 2016

I sleep with books - don't judge!
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Nachtflug: Roman by Antoine de Saint-Exupry
review
MariaW
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Mehso-so

I don‘t know what to make out of this one. The narrative with the curse was very interesting and would have been enough for me. I don‘t understand why there has to be a second narrative that mysteriously tangled to the first one? It is complete unnecessary and most explanations unlikely. I wonder if the series goes on like this? If yes, then it is quite foreseeable.

Librarybelle The second mystery was not needed, in my opinion 2d
47 likes1 comment
blurb
MariaW
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I am trying to keep up with my Nancy Drew reading - a bit late for today‘s discussion. But then I came across Ned - who is he? It sounds like he is Nancy‘s love interest, but he never came up before. And why is he in Europe?
I just went through a word search of the four first books to check if I missed something. But there wasn‘t anything. 🙈

DGRachel You didn‘t miss anything. They dropped a random mention of him in this book out of nowhere. Ned is Nancy‘s boyfriend and he‘ll come up a lot more in later books. 4d
Librarybelle I thought the mention was so bizarre, since he has yet to be introduced in the series! Like @DGRachel said, you did not miss anything. 4d
MariaW @DGRachel @Librarybelle What a weird way to introduce a character. 🤦‍♀️ (edited) 3d
35 likes3 comments
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MariaW
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It seems like the authors of Zeit Crime magazine have read my mind lately - or listened in on my commute. This is an interesting overview over her novels. Her favourite way of murdering someone is by poison for example, 34 protagnostis died due to it. Or that „And then there was none“ is the most sold murder mystery worldwide with a number of sold copies of over 100 million. 😮😮😮

rretzler Very cool! Now I want to have a copy of that magazine! 🤣 5d
45 likes1 comment
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MariaW
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Pickpick

I went through my old games to find a chess game for this picture and actually did. Even though I learned how to play chess and never got hooked. That playing chess can structure your life and keep helping you to stay alive in situations of utmost insanity is a nice message. What really made me angry were the last words of the world champion who did not recognize the talent of his oppenent.

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MariaW
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I „play“ chess literally, whilst the others - the actual chess players - mean business (intranslate word play with the adjective serious).

BarbaraBB Such a good read! 1w
39 likes1 comment
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MariaW
The Patriotic Murders | Agatha Christie
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Pickpick

This is yet another novel with a hint in the German title. 🙈 But as I know realised the original does so as well. While listening I kept on wondering how Poirot could end up in series of political murders, that‘s not a regular task for him.

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MariaW
Gangsta Granny | David Walliams
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Pickpick

I finished this one in the bathtub yesterday. The problem of grandkids not wanting to visit because they seem to be boring is one most grandparents can relate to, but the this granny does cope with it in a very peculiar way. What a nice story. 🦹‍♀️🦹‍♀️🦹‍♀️

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MariaW
Gangsta Granny | David Walliams
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The moment the Queen catches you in the act of stealing the Crown jewels - in her nightgown and Corgy slippers. 🤣🤣🤣

Aimeesue 😂😂😂 2w
40 likes1 comment
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MariaW
The Last Continent | Terry Pratchett
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Mehso-so

So, I went through another Discworld audiobook last week. I did have some difficulties to follow the Rincewind narrative because it seemed pretty chaotic. It was still funny though, but I don‘t not remember having such peoblems while actually reading it.

deirdrebeecher Yeah this is defo one of the weakest discworld novels.
2w
45 likes1 comment
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MariaW
The Last Continent | Terry Pratchett
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Me driving home into the sunset today - while listening to Terry Pratchett.

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MariaW
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Pickpick

I don‘t know why the German title has to give away the major clue that you know who did it right away. 🙈 But it is always a delight to follow Poirot coming to the same conclusion. 😊

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MariaW
Avenches | Chartech Staff
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This is a nice little free library I saw in Avenches when I checked out the Roman theatre there. Unfortunatly, I could not find anything in there because Avenches is located in the French speaking part of Switzerland and I don‘t speak French. 🙈

LeahBergen It‘s so beautiful! 3w
54 likes1 comment
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MariaW
Mrs McGinty's Dead | Agatha Christie
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Pickpick

I like the Poirot novels in which Mrs Oliver appears to be his enthusiastic sidekick. They are such an odd and funny pair.
This story did come up with so many suspects, I definitely did not see the ending coming.

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MariaW
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Today I found out that Jan Assmann is dead. 😭😭😭 He was a well-known German egyptologist and was famous for his cultural theories.
Once I had the chance to see one of his lectures at the Egyptian Museum in Leipzig and got his autograph. Back then I wanted to tell him that I‘ve read most if his books and that he is very important for me, but the only thing I was able to say (quivering in front of this authority) was: „For Maria, please“.

Jari-chan RIP 🕯️ 3w
41 likes1 comment
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MariaW
Tanz der Tiefseequalle | Stefanie Hfler
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Pickpick

One decision that changes everything: Puberty is already not easy for Niko, he is the outsider of the class. But then he helps beautiful Sera and everything becomes chaotic.
This is a nice novel about a deep friendship between two students in a superficial highschool world.

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MariaW
Tanz der Tiefseequalle | Stefanie Hfler
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This coming of age novel is written from two different points of view of two teenagers. Like teenagers‘ fast-paced thoughts the book switches between them constantly. It is interesting to experience a story through the eyes of two characters.

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MariaW
Alter John: Kinderroman | Peter Hrtling
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Pickpick

This is a nice story for kids talking softly and with dignity about topics most adults try to avoid with euphemisms.
Old John moves in with his daughter‘s family. His grandkids love it, but at some point he gets sick…

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MariaW
Alter John: Kinderroman | Peter Hrtling
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Reading school literature for one of my classes now. Even though we‘ve read Peter Härtling back when I went to school, I never came across this one.

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MariaW
Totsch | Sunil Mann
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Pickpick

This is a short coming of age novel of a Swiss author. It is written in a fast paced stream of consciousness style and talking about an outsider meeting another (non outsider, jock) teenager with the same family problems. Both of them are not sure what to make of it. The book definetely portays the life of teenagers well.

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MariaW
Totsch | Sunil Mann
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I can see you. You‘re running up the stairs. Slamming the door. Thewoing yourself on the bed. Head under cushion, hands on the ears.
Nevertheless you can still hear your parents. Even as they fall silent and this depressing silence takes over the house. (…) But in your head they are still arguing. In your head you can hear the voices. Like an echo that doesn‘t die away.

review
MariaW
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Pickpick

In this Nancy Drew novel nothing was not missing: an impersonator, a time bomb, a diamond theft, a submarine and a fire, What can be possible used in the next ones? The books are definitely getting better, I hope the pace of improvement can be kept.

Librarybelle She seems to be running out of dangerous scenarios! 1mo
47 likes1 comment
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MariaW
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Currently I am finishing the fourth book of the series. This time I am prepared for tomorrow‘s monthly discussion with @Librarybelle
💪💪💪💪

Librarybelle Awesome!! 1mo
38 likes1 comment
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MariaW
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Pickpick

The Series is definitely getting better. The plot is quite forseeable (maybe it‘s me as an Agatha Christie fan), but still quite suspenseful. I‘ve read the 50er novel in one run and looking forward to no. 4. 😊

Librarybelle I think they are getting better too! 1mo
46 likes2 comments
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MariaW
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I have to admit the novels are getting more interesting and suspenseful one by one. I cannot wait to turn/swipe to the next P
page. 💪💪💪

34 likes1 stack add
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MariaW
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Pickpick

The old mansion with squeaky floorboards, a dark attic with old costumes and things moving around on their own were definitely more exciting than the first novel. And that there are two mysteries to solve makes it more suspenseful. I was as disappointed and pissed off as Nancy when she couldn‘t find the entrance to the hidden staircase. 🤬

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MariaW
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Since I am analyzing literature with my students in my English classes, I cannot stop wondering whether the alliterations in some of the chapter titles are used on purpose or just a „lucky“ coincidence. The question is: Can a mishap be mysterious??? 🤔🤔🤔😜

review
MariaW
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Mehso-so

So, a few months behind the Litsy discussion group I finished the first Nancy Drew novel. The ebook I bought seems to be the older 1930 version and I stumbled across the portrayal of Jeff Tucker. Anyway the story tries to build suspense and I think this is okay for the target audience of teenagers. But as an adult it strikes me weird to give away the major clue in the title. 🙈

Librarybelle Haha, so true - the title says everything! 1mo
MariaW @Librarybelle I am also not satisfied with the titles of some of the Agatha Christie novels, but at least she is not giving away the clues - well, most of the times. 🙈 1mo
47 likes2 comments
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MariaW
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The German kids have been using the English word „cringe“ a lot lately. I have to admit that it expresses the feeling perfectly I got while reading the first of the Nancy Drew novels. I know it was published in 1930 and back then it was a different time, but it makes me cringe to read the stereotypical portrait of Jeff Tucker.

Ruthiella They totally changed that in the 1950s version. 1mo
MariaW @Ruthiella I read about that in the discussion group, but the ebook version I bought seems to be the old one. 1mo
41 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
MariaW
Maskerade | Terry Pratchett
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Pickpick

Another one of the witches: I actually read The Phantom of the Opera and saw the musical version (the opera not yet) and the Terry Pratchett version is definitely the best one. I was laughing so hard. 🤣🤣🤣

47 likes1 stack add
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MariaW
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Pickpick

The true story of the pumpkin coach - the fairy godmother couldn‘t use her wand for anything else! The notion of happily ever after fairytales actually being neverending nightmares in which you can be killed for not be jolly enough is scary. Fortunately, the witches are on their way. 🤗

julesG One of my favourite Discworld novels 😍 1mo
52 likes1 stack add1 comment
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MariaW
Wyrd Sisters | Terry Pratchett
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Pickpick

In the last weeks I went through some of Pratchett‘s discworld novels again. I have to say I like the Witches and the Nightwatch ones the most. There is nothing like a stanze of „The Hedgehog Can Never be Buggered at All“. 😂😂😂

Ruthiella 🤣🤣🤣 1mo
mabell I agree about the witches! I don‘t think I‘ve read a nightwatch one yet 1mo
CarolynM 🤣 I should reread a few too. 1mo
julesG Love the Witches! 1mo
58 likes4 comments
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MariaW
Im Westen Nichts Neues | Erich Maria Remarque
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This is how it looks like when a teacher reads a book. 🙈

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MariaW
Im Westen Nichts Neues | Erich Maria Remarque
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Started to read All Quiet on the Western Front yesterday because my students want to read it. Even though it is part of the German so-called „canon of literature“ I never read it in school. Especially the boys in my class want to read ot because they have a weird fascination of the World Wars. Hopwfully the novel will teach them otherwise.

Tamra It should take the shine out of that young bravado. 2mo
54 likes1 comment
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MariaW
Wyrd Sisters | Terry Pratchett
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Me driving home from work listening to Terry Pratchett. The jokes are easing the traffic and I arrive home lauging. 😊

Ruthiella Nice strategy! 3mo
33 likes1 comment
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MariaW
Lords and Ladies | Terry Pratchett
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Pickpick

I finished another one of my Pratchett aufio books. Of course I loved it. And I like the notion that Pratchett saw the folk of fairies as villians which are able to glamour humans. Well, most if them. 🧙‍♀️

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MariaW
The Fraud | Zadie Smith
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The moment when the review is this good that you have to buy the (e)book immediately. 🙈

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MariaW
Thirteen at Dinner | Agatha Christie
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Pickpick

What a nice game of cat and mouse. Even though the alibi of the murderer was watertight it was clear from the beginning that he/she must have planned the murder. Poirot struggled hard to find out how it was done. A story full of confusion.

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MariaW
A Hand Full of Stars | Rafik Schami
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Pickpick

I finished this wonderful book while reading in the art museum. It was somehow a contrast to this dark figure and background. I really loved this diary of the life in Damaskus. It reminded me of the souks of Cairo. It is the perfect description of Arabic daily life with all its facets.

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MariaW
A Hand Full of Stars | Rafik Schami
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This is how it looks like to read in an art museum. ☺️☺️☺️

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MariaW
The Silent Reading Hour | William Henry Wheeler, Guy Thomas Buswell
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Today the silent reading event took place in the local art museum. It was a little bit weird reading there while others looked at the exhibits. I bet some of them thought I was an installation. 😂

Ruthiella 😂😂😂 4mo
42 likes1 comment
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MariaW
Murder on the Links | Agatha Christie
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Pickpick

It took over one hour for the golf course to come up and keep me wondering why Agatha Christie chose the title. Even later the choice of place were the victim was found seemed completely unnecessary and senseless. Maybe she was out of titles?
Other than that it was a nice murder mystery with the well-known twists.

Ruthiella I agree, the title is misleading. Maybe the publisher picked it rather than Christie? 4mo
39 likes1 comment
review
MariaW
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Pickpick

In German we use the idiom „giftgrün“ which can be roughly translated to poisonous green. The English equivalentis bilious/garish green but to me it os not the same.
The cover of the second case of the Detective Society is definitely giftgrün. A reference willing used as a reference to the poison that eats itself through Daisy‘s family in form of assumptions and suspicions? It almost tears them apart. Luckily Daisy & Hazel can solve the murder.

48 likes1 stack add
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MariaW
The Silent Reading Hour | William Henry Wheeler, Guy Thomas Buswell
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I was knocked out for the past two days and could not post this. On Sunday I went to the silent reading event again. Now it‘s a fixed appointment in my calender that I don‘t miss it. It was raining cats and dogs but I went anyway like the hard core of the group. It was very pleasant but I had to face the consequences because I caught a cold on the way there. 🙈

Dilara Oh no! Glad you‘re feeling better now - or at least well enough to post 🤧 4mo
MariaW @Dilara Thanks, I am better now. 😊 4mo
32 likes2 comments
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MariaW
The Night Library | David Zeltser
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Did anyone else read that? That‘s how we readers are…
https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/a-door-at-a-swedish-library-was-...

LeahBergen Love this! 4mo
47 likes1 comment
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MariaW
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I liked the first murder mystery of the Murder Most Unladylike series very much and recommended it to my students as well. Of course I had to order the second part for the students‘ library- officially. 😜
By the way I am the teacher reading the book at my place. 🙈

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MariaW
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When you order new books for the students‘ library of English books and most of them you ordered for yourself… 🤣🤣🤣

Jari-chan It's the same with me and ordering books for the bookstore 🤭 4mo
51 likes1 comment
review
MariaW
Soul Music | Terry Pratchett
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Pickpick

I went through another Terry Pratchett audiobook. I‘ve read all the novels 10 years ago, so it‘s very interesting to listen to them 10 years later.
The thought of music coming alive is fascinating. And of course there‘s Susan‘s deadpan humor. 🪦🪦🪦

48 likes1 stack add
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MariaW
Les Enfants Terribles | Jean Cocteau
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This weekend I went to exibition sharing an eye of how children are portayed in (children‘s) literature - often as enfant terribles. It was very interesting.
Can you guess the books portrayed in the two smaller pictures?

Dilara Pippi Longstocking on the left (looking at the stripy stocking). Not sure sure about the right picture. Alice in Wonderland, maybe, if the teacup is a clue for this book ? But I must say I can't associate anything with that booted, naked leg. 4mo
Ruthiella Pippi, Alice and Struwwelpeter! 😃 (edited) 4mo
MariaW @Ruthiella Everything correct! 😊 4mo
MariaW @Dilara Both correct. I took the picture with the teacup on purpose otherwise I would have felt like you did. 4mo
Dilara @MariaW 😇 👏 4mo
42 likes5 comments
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MariaW
Holes | Louis Sachar
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This moment was coming - I knew it but was still very happy to read it.

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MariaW
Holes | Louis Sachar
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Pickpick

Of a novel called „Holes“ I actually did not expect much but I have to admit I was proven wrong. I really liked the background story with the curse. It was quite funny at some points. Now I am going to watch the movie.